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Linden d'Arc
Description With her long stride, direct gaze and ready grin, Linden often appears much lovelier than she actually is. While the human and elven blood mixed rather well for her, giving her clean features, bright, wide eyes and the slightly pointed tips of her ears, she's not the perfect vision that so many half-elves manage to be. The human shows in her square chin, the slight curl that shows up in her chestnut hair, giving it waves and curling the ends, and the moderate cheekbones that hold a slight blush. A shade of elven gives her the deep pine green of her eyes, the long lashes that she's learned to flit so entertainingly, and the ridiculously small feet that she found handy in her life as a waitress in a busy tavern. Tall for a half-elf, she has the human curves of her mother, nicely padded with muscle from swinging her morningstar, long walks and dashing with a heavy tray across a crowded bar. Preferring boots and breeches over the more maidenly skirts, Linden likes to show off her hips with snug-fitted leather leggings and tall boots, her waist cinched with a supporting corset. (It keeps her bosom from bouncing all over the place when darting from one end of the tavern to the other.) Earth tones are the shades that suit her best, but she learned that being visible to one's allies tends to help one avoid catching a crossbow bolt in the butt. Her armour is a shirt of black-lacquered steel, brightened with gilded plating and edges. A pair of thigh-high black leather boots fasten with gold ingots to her dark red leather breeches, and an overskirt of black-lacquered and gilded steel is used to literally cover her ass. If she's trying to be really intimidating, she dons a black leather cloak with a gold skull emblazoned over red flames and a black lacqured spiky helm edged in crimson. With a shield of black wood painted with a bloody skull and her beloved red-glowing chain whip, she certainly knows how to strike a frightening image when she tries for it. Personality Cheerful isn't necessarily just a trait in some people. Lin makes it a force of nature. It's rare to catch the half-elf without a grin, a smile, a smirk or some sort of ridiculously cheerful facial expression. Down to earth and forthright, she says what she thinks and never backs down when it comes to defending her opinion. Quick to anger, she's just as quick to drop the argument and suggest everyone chill out over a pint of ale. People are Linden's favourite pastime. Raised in a tavern, she learned the art of mingling early on, and there's no such thing as a stranger to the bouncy half-elf. Eager to have a good time, she's the first to suggest a drink, the first to match someone shot for shot, and she laughs uproariously when she hits the floor after having had a few too many. Conversation with Lin usually involves her probing to learn more about the other person. People overall fascinate her, but that doesn't stop her from making judgement calls or insulting someone she thinks deserves it. With no fear of taking consequences, she'll even throw the first punch, well aware that there are people who could stomp her into the ground without looking back. A good time, in Lin's opinion, involves a lot of sweat, laughter, some dirt and physical exertion, to be polished off by a good drink and a lengthy night of loud talking. Loving the sheer exhilaration of wrestling, racing and gambling, she was called an adrenaline junkie by one of her old friends, and never denied it. If it's a rush, she likes it. If it's a fun rush, even better. Although she's not stupid by any stretch, she's laughably and loudly ignorant of some of the finer things in life, such as magic. Definitely not a scholar of the arcane, spellcasters puzzle her, and she's never quite understood why anyone would want to spend so much time in a room with books when there's a whole world out there. Lin admits magic is pretty useful at times, and she won't turn down a helping spell, but she likes a little warning after a childhood encounter with a wizard who thought cantrips were a fun way to tickle the little serving girl. Of all of her quirks, Lin's biggest feature is her heart. Despite the odd morality that she's developed, the half-elf has a heart that knows no defeat and is always open to everyone. With that, she's always willing to forgive and forget, taking each day as a new chance. Despite her lack of definitive goals, she's not shy about going after what she wants, and with that generous nature, she's perfectly willing to get a little bloody, a little sweaty or a little bruised in order to help a friend reach their desires. Although she learned her mother's view on life (strongly coloured by the disappointment Miria suffered,) Lin never really gave up on hoping. Everything she does is an expression of that hope that life is as good as she thinks it is, that dreams can be realized and that maybe one day, she'll be able to start daydreaming again. Even better, maybe she'll actually see some of those dreams come true. Pre-Game History Linden is hardly shy about her origins, often laughing at being the result of "a roll in tha 'ay aft'r more 'han 'nough ale to knock out an ox." The half-elf never knew her elven father, as she was the product of a one-night stand, and her mother Miria had the choice of taking her child to her parents, or to attempt raising the young Linden on her own. When Gus, the owner of the tavern where she worked, offered her a room over the tavern and permanent employment, Miria took the offer, settling in to raise her daughter in an atmosphere of jovial drinking and constant turmoil as customers came and went. It obviously had it's effect on the little girl, for Linden was bussing tables, pouring ale and serving drinks before she was fully able to read. The tavern staff took it upon themselves to aid Miria in raising her daughter, as the Empty Keg was a friendly place. From the goblin waiter, Marcus, she learned about goblin culture and their language. From the minotaur who moved kegs from the delivery wagons to the storeroom, she learned how to throw a punch and, perhaps more importantly, how to take a punch. Gus was a kindly father figure, teaching her how to keep the books and how to handle customers. Miria, grateful for the help, never stepped in to draw Linden away from one of the tavern's odd customers or staff, trusting that the solid common sense she instilled in Lin would keep her safe. With such a family, it was no wonder that her first encounter with drunkenness was at the age of ten, her first kiss at the age of nine and her first fist fight at the age of seven. (She won, by the way.) "Curb 'em but don't break 'em," was Gus's philosophy on horses, and he helped Miria apply that to Linden. The young half-elf learned to love people for the sake of simply being people, to view any and all odd customers as simply another hand for ale and another interesting story, and that what she thought was a good idea wasn't necessarily the BEST idea. Up until the age of seventeen, Lin was content to work in the Empty Keg. Serving the customers, cleaning the bar, indulging in a little flirtation here and there, (or perhaps a bit more with her boyfriend of the time, a young farmhand named Jons,) and learning the best way to swing heavy sticks took up her time until the day that Heathern Ferne-Salem entered the Empty Keg. The story that Heathern told, as Lin was always interested in why people were travelling, was one that made the young half-elf's eyes well with tears. She was hunting for her husband, she said, who'd been forced to leave her and their young son behind to keep them safe. Her son, Kasim, she spoke of wistfully, and the giant shadow that followed Heathern- an oni named Soshi Jitsuri, the blonde explained, who had devoted himself to keeping her safe and helping her find her beloved husband- remained silent when the older half-elf showed Lin the small painting a friend had done of the young Kasim. Entranced by the first brush of a true romantic story, Linden immediately volunteered to help Heathern search the area for any word of her adored Field Crow. Miria wasn't precisely pleased when she heard this idea, but Gus's restraining hand on her shoulder kept her from raising any loud protest. Instead, she swallowed her ache at seeing her daughter leave, helped her pack and tried to trust that Linden's common sense would bring her back within a week. Far from it. While the life of travel that Heathern and Jitsuri had obviously adapted to long ago was difficult, it was new and exciting, and the blisters on her feet from day-long walks through an ever-changing landscape were ignored in the sheer novelty of adventure. Making camp was the best part of the day in Linden's opinion, because that was when Heathern and, rarely, Jitsuri would talk. She heard tales of the land they had come from- the town of Treegum sounded so quaint!- and of places they had been. Linden heard enough about the missing ninja to be able to nearly lay out his life's story (or at least as much of it as he'd told Heathern) and to be able to recognize him on sight. It was Kasim that really quirked Linden's interest, however, and she found the small sphere that Jitsuri used to scry on his absent charge fascinating. What was amusing was how Heathern seemed to think that Kasim wasn't growing at all, despite the evidence to the contrary. Lin put it down to a mother's wistfulness that her child would always remain a cuddly baby and continued to learn what she could of combat from the headstrong blonde. When the day came that Heathern decided to try Waterdeep for any luck, Linden decided to keep traveling, having caught wind of a place called "Sigil" that fairly screamed adventure. Young enough to be enthusiastic, and possessed of enough common sense to keep herself from getting killed, the half-elf was sorry to see her mentor leave, but she carried the small wooden toys and letters that Heathern had entrusted to her (just in case it was she who happened to run into the ninja, or find a way to get a letter back to Treegum) willingly. Wishing Heathern and Jitsuri the best of luck, the half-elf bounded off on her very first self-initiated "adventure." She's never regretted a single step of the way. Pertinent Connections *Heathern Ferne-Salem -the blonde fighter was the first mentor outside of the Empty Keg that Lin had ever known, and one she still remembers fondly, even if the woman's tried and true method of "run in, stab them when they're not looking and keep your shield up" has gotten her more than a few bruises. *Kasim Ferne Salem -the sheer coincidence of having met her mentor's son a few years after leaving Heathern's company nearly scared the unflappable half-elf, but what she remembers of Kasim is that she couldn't save him from what she thought was a relationship that would eventually get him killed. *Averis -the Hrathian monk who took a surprise kiss as a threat, showed her the nearby goblin caves and prefers tea over ale. He's an enigma, but one that she thinks is worth investing a little time in for the sheer sake of getting to know. Lin's passion is people, and he's just fascinating. *Kaelan Nerfzen -the necromancer who took her interest in Averis rather... poorly, concealing jealousy with vicious remarks and huffy taunts ended up being a... surprisingly good friend, once they inched past the drunken flirtation and lingering hostility. *Lauriert Mason -a lich as a friend...? Why not? She's never discriminated against people who offer a grin or who share a drink, and she's not about to start now. Besides, he wears quite the dashing hat. Currently... Having arrived in the city of Thornspeak, Lin found the tavern first, a guy to talk to secondly and then the nearest cave of goblins to test out what she recalled of the language learned. (Turns out some goblins don't actually care if you speak their dialect- they'll still try to stab you.) The tavern needs a little more atmosphere, in her opinion, and the guy, well... What can you really do with an evil monk who tried setting you on fire for sneaking a kiss on him? Befriend him, obviously. {Update} So, what happens when you eat a baby? Literally? Apparently, dream or not, you end up viewing the world in just a slightly different way. So different, in fact, that you end up tackling a monk, flirting with a necromancer, and considering others rather... expendable. Who would've thought that it was so easy to just... slip a few notches on the alignment gauge? From Chaotic Good to Neutral Evil {Update} From the mountain to the valley floor all in a few days' time. When Averis intimidated her into admitting her infatuation, and then cemented that with a gift of flowers and what Lin considered a hell of a good fist fight, the half-elf let herself admit she was hoping. Let herself admit that maybe, just maybe this was the guy who wouldn't get bored and leave. Naturally. When he wouldn't talk to her, wouldn't look at her and wouldn't stay in the same area with her, let alone touch her, Lin faced up to reality and admitted to herself that he'd probably just been fooling around, learning by experience, and now he was done. Kaelan's quiet conversation about how she'd made the wrong choice- naturally after he'd met a lady with the same inclinations of magic as himself- didn't help. Two bottles of whiskey later, and she locked herself into her inn room and finally let herself sob it out. Not that she'll stay down. That weird bear fellow she'd met in the woods looked like he'd be fun to wrestle with if nothing else. {Update} ...well... When you live fast and hard, you crash and burn just as ferociously. Circumstances hit hard and fast, and now the half-elf is left wondering just what happened exactly, and what she's supposed to do. When one friend/love interest will hardly speak to her and the other has just gotten engaged for a marriage of convenience, she was completely at a loss. Even worse? Now there's a man with a magical tie to her who could, if he finds her, turn her into a slave. With the clock ticking, no allies readily at hand and still recovering from having her rising self-esteem crushed, what's a barmaid to do? Have a drink, lick her wounds and chin up. She's never cried over spilt milk, and she's not about to start. Keeping her promises to help Averis and Kaelan reach their goals is still on her to-do list, but so is finding what she can have in the world. {Update} Some things are so ridiculous they make sense. Such as having a truly, truly horrible night turned around by a lich's company. And getting quite the jaunty hat the next day. What began as a half-drunken flirtation turned serious much faster than Lin had ever imagined possible, and before she knew it, the university professor/senator/lich was showering her with gifts, speaking honeyed words and acting as though she was the light of his life. ...even stranger? He said he loved her. Sorting out the tangles of her past romantic interests is enough to keep her thoroughly distracted, but with Lauriert murmuring pretty promises in the midst of all kinds of world-shattering hell trying to erupt, it's a fight between her ever-hopeful heart and the memory of her mother's cautioning tone about how trustworthy any man really is. Category:Elsewhere